A blog to capture random thoughts, mainly dealing with politics and especially military matters.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Michelle Obama meets with families at Va Navy base

Does anyone find it strange that First Lady Michelle Obama is so into the Military while her husband, President Obama, feels free to discriminate against us?

The current administration totally lacks diversity when it comes to Veterans inside the White House as Obama's is truly a "Vet-less Administration" when it comes to his inner circle. I suspect it's the "Veteran void" that has allowed the administration to blunder into such ill conceived schemes as billing veterans’ private insurance for combat connected disabilities and allowing his DHS Secretary to accuse Veterans of being prospective Terrorists when they are the only Americans fighting terrorism.

Although Vets are a little better represented in the rest of the Executive Branch, even the Washington Post recently noted this administration has the fewest Vets in the Cabinet since the Hoover Administration.

To add additional insult, we are now in our 6th year of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan and the President has the audacity to just now appoint Rep John McHugh (R-NY)as the new Secretary of the Army. Not only has Mr. McHugh never worn a uniform so has no clue what a "combat stressed" Army is going through but he is "in bed" with some of the most corrupt Defense Lobbyists and sleazy contractors ever to afflict the Military.

To take the measure of a man, look at his actions instead of listening to his rhetoric. Despite his public utterances of support for the Military and Vets, of the 41 White House appointees, only General James Jones has ever worn the uniform of our country. Even those of prime Vietnam era draft age like Rouse and Craig managed to avoid any brush with danger during their youth. Other than General Jones, not even his National Security team has Military experience. It is always easier to send others into harms way when you or your loved ones have never had to go!

Mr. Obama’s 2.4% Vets in the White House is beginning to make President Clinton’s abysmal 5% look pretty good but not quite as good as President Bush 41’s 34%.

Our first indication of how candidate Obama felt about the Military should have been his choice for Vice President. When he selected good old Joe "5-Deferment" Biden he showed he valued draft dodging over Military Service! Of course, Joe’s demonstrated his Military Expertise by the way he skillfully avoided any brush with armed conflict during his youth when he successfully dodged the draft and Vietnam (he and Dick Cheney did everything short of maiming themselves which neither had the guts to do – I guess it’s a prerequisite for VP). By comparison, Biden makes "W" look like a war hero! (For the record, Bush flying antique Air National Guard Convair F-102s was probably in more danger than I was during an extended CIB-earning tour in Vietnam!)

I suspect eventually for survival President Obama will be forced to hire at least a few Vets to help prevent him from repeating those previous boneheaded blunders. Even Ray Charles could have seen what the public reaction was going to be to them but the Presidents “Vet-less” inner circle allowed them anyway. Including a Vet in his decision circle could have pointed out the obvious and avoided some embarrassment.

All Americans should encourage President Obama to add a little “diversity” to his administration by hiring a few Vets so we can feel included. It might even have the serendipitous effect of lowering the Veteran unemployment rate. Now that would truly be “Change we can believe in!"